Questions tagged [transportation]
For questions about the act or process of transporting something or someone from one location to another, including by technological or non-technological means. For questions about the specific machine or device used for transportation, consider using [vehicles] instead.
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Long distance travel by non-motorised rolling vehicles
Background
I have lush fertile mountains separated by miles of flat, barren desert. Each mountain is home to a community. The distances between mountains vary from 2 - 20 miles.
Every occupied ...
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How could a resistance movement sabotage a hyperloop?
In my setting, a futuristic North America, the hyperloop is a newfangled mode of long-distance transportation. Basically it's a vacuum tube at low friction and air resistance, which allows pods to ...
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A reason for racing haulers across tundra / Arctic?
It was difficult to sum the entire question into the title, but here's more context:
I'm working on a proof of concept for a game where you are racing vehicles rally raid style across Antarctica and / ...
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How feasibly could a post-apocalyptic society achieve aviation?
In my setting, I have created a technologically innovative faction which seeks to utilise various past technologies, namely, aircraft.
For context, the setting is a post apocalypse type setting ...
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Out of what type of cargo plane and at what altitude would the MC jump? [closed]
The main character needs to get from England to Norway, fast, and without anyone (Beyond a smuggler) finding out.
He’ll be jumping out of a cargo plane that is flying from England to Norway in the ...
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In a fantasy world where people can ride monsters and fantastic beasts, why does the horse still remain in active duty?
A fantasy staple, the fantastic mount (TvTropes). People in Fantasy Land ride giant yellow chickens, giant wolves, giant beetles, caterpilars, ants, and other insects, evolved bears, sharks, miniature ...
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How could an underwater society industrialize? [duplicate]
In my world, there is a species of underwater people. They are a mix of the creatures from Luca, and the creature from the Black Lagoon. At some point, when their technology progresses, they learn ...
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How could a two-legged chariot horse gallop?
I have a horse race design I think suits the world I created, but I don’t know how it could actually race. I need to resolve the actual propulsion.
In that other question the best answer seemed to be ...
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Why would space traders pick up and offload their goods from an orbiting platform rather than direct to the planet?
I'm outlining some ideas for a game I'd like to write, that at its core is about interplanetary space-trading (amongst other things, but that's not relevant to the question).
For project-scope reasons ...
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Why would airplanes become common when there is dragon-riding?
In my world, during their equivalent to the age of absolutism, dragon riding becomes very common. They can be too expensive to personally own, so they are mostly used in general warfare and ...
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'Cargo Management' on a ship transporting dragon slaves; in what position should the slavers bind the dragons up in to maximize space?
In a story I'm working on, a nation of humans with WW1-level tech and some concerningly fascist leanings encounter a late-medieval society of dragon-like creatures on a distant continent. They are ...
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How long would it take for a Roman farmer to learn about Julius Caesars assassination? [closed]
I'm writing a story that follows the life of a poor plebeian farmer in the late republic. While I was working on the plot, I realized a potential plot hole: such a person would not learn about the ...
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Most efficient form of locomotion for a super cell organism?
In my universe there is a planet that harbors a super cell organism created by an ancient precursor species. If you don’t know a super cell is theoretical idea where the cell can do just about ...
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How would you construct an aerial trolley transport system? [closed]
I am researching alternative transport systems in a solarpunk setting. I am especially interested in systems where airships are pulled by the kinds of cables currently used in ski lifts and aerial ...
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How high a mountain could possibly be climbed?
There has been a fair bit of previous discussion about how high mountains could get. I'm currently thinking about a different question: assuming the existence of a very tall mountain, how high would ...
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Good ways to transport your characters from a modern world to a fantasy world? [closed]
My character is being transported from our world to another world, and I want to do something original and unique. There are the classic options (magical artifact, secret door, portals, walk in the ...
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What might a time travel facility be called? [closed]
In the real world one may catch a train at a station, a flight from an airport, a bus from a depot, a boat from a port or terminal.
If one were to travel through time inside a time machine what would ...
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Matter transportation or housing for Cosmic string information FTL [closed]
An advanced future empire uses cosmic strings as FTL to transport information around the empires network of strings, they use this method also to materialise their robotic bodies and minds in far off ...
user94655
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What would need to change to make living comfortable in a world with limited cars?
My world is a futuristic soft sci fi with humans but not set on Earth (though planet is earthlike). In it, the world has been ravaged by a monster driven apocalypse multiple times. It has been 400 ...
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How many refugees can I pack into a nuclear-powered version of the largest ship ever built?
Countryistan is a large island nation approximately 3,000 kilometers from the nearest landmass.
The government of Countryistan is secretly planning on committing genocide and ethnic cleansing against ...
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In a supercontinent would ships still be the primary way of transportation before the invention of engines?
introduction
My world is made of a super-continent with very little isles, it has 100 countries, 97 of which are on land. 3 of those are underwater for folk who are able to live confortably in the ...
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Are the railroad and the telegraph inseparable inventions?
In my world, I'm trying to come up with reasons why trains are the fastest method of communication, and that brings into question:
Are the railroad and the telegraph inseparable? They both came into ...
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Would rubber carriage wheels significantly improve the efficiency of horse-drawn carriage travel?
So, suppose a medieval society knows how to create vulcanized rubber. (As long as they have rubber sap, sulphur, and the recipe, it shouldn't be outside of their capabilities. The process is super ...
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Transportation in a fantasy world without wood
In my low-fantasy world wood is a very limited resource because all forests are haunted. Cutting a tree often means drawing the wrath of the creatures living in the woods, resulting in some very ...
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What is an expedience of sci-fi gliders? these machines flying near the very ground
What is an expedience of sci-fi gliders? these machines flying near the very ground.
It doesn't matter what they call them there (in different way).
No matter what specific principle they fly - what ...
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What issues could multiple lanes of travel in the air pose in a city?
In the world I am working on, society is made up of multiple species of equally intelligent/sapient humanoid insects that operate extremely similar to humans. Cities contain many different species of ...
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Are vactrains a good choice for cargo?
It seems like all the discussion of vactrains is about transporting people.
But what about a smaller-diameter vactrain that could shuttle cargo around the world at thousands of mph? You could have a ...
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Vehicles vs work animals in a desert planet
Would animals like camels and horses be more useful/practical in the deep desert than vehicles like dune buggies and sandrails?
Basically, I have a planet that's mostly desert surrounded with rock ...
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Who's the fastest (with no restrictions) [closed]
Swimsuits should not cover the neck, must not extend past the shoulders and ankles, also the suits' thickness and buoyancy is limited. Maximum thickness of the sole of the shoe should not exceed 20 mm ...
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Constructing a secret villain base - best ways for covert short-range air transport?
I stumbled upon this map of northern Quebec the other day, and what really struck me was just how empty the interior was. No populated places, no roads, no navigable rivers - as far as I know no ...
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Freight on a World without Oceans
The world is a planet with an extremely smooth surface, so that there are no significant pools of water. The ground is usually dry, but there is rain, which is absorbed into the ground and cycles ...
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Why would small rail vehicles supplement cars & normal passenger trains in the near future?
Why would small rail vehicles exist alongside cars & normal passenger trains in the near future? In this world rails run throughout cities for metros & every town has a rail connection outside ...
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Realistic travel times for a horse drawn cart in a medieval empire?
So I have a rather large late medieval feudalistic empire that is roughly about the size of South America top to bottom in terms of its radius. Road networks are typically well-maintained between ...
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How could criminals make getaways in a world where public transportation is most common?
In my world, trains are the most prevalent form of transportation. Immense subway systems are used to transport people, livestock, and other goods throughout the world. Street level, trams, bicycles, ...
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How do you commute in a sphere where gravity goes the wrong way?
The city of Evermill
Tens of millennia ago, a magician tried to reverse gravity in a 10km radius sphere around him for a dare. He succeeded, but unfortunately, the effect was permanent - earth, houses ...
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How can an armed group travel to and attack a rival group in another country?
I have a world where the different countries feature various types of organized groups, some are criminal groups (mafia type organizations) and others are non-criminal but they are both armed and ...
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Could a super cannon be viable for transportation of human beings?
Afternoon everyone,
In my setting, humans live in isolated "burrows" with an immense and dangerous forest separating them. Rather than planes or helicopters, trains and super cannons are ...
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How can I create a futuristic transportation network that is scientifically probable?
I'm writing a mental health dystopia set in the not-so-distant future. I've included hovercars, but I'm looking for another transportation means that is faster and not as cliché. The ideal system ...
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Why would a modern city with a warm climate have a skyway system?
Skyway systems are predominately found in cities with cold climates, like the Minneapolis Skyway System:
But why would a city with a warm climate have a skyway system when it is not necessary for ...
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How would transportation evolve in a world where everyone can teleport?
I've already talked about this world in How would criminals be punished in a world where everyone can teleport?
Everyone in this world from the age of 5 can teleport to anywhere they have been before ...
user85825
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How would you build a road system that respected nature?
How would build a road system or transportation system that respected nature with the following constraints:
No paved roads or less than 10% paved roads
can’t use gasoline (oil)
allow nature to ...
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Insect-powered shoes
The Emperor (may he live for ever) feels that walking is too much trouble. He should be able to simply stand upright and his shoes take him where he wants them to. He also wants to impress his ...
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Is there a way to cross my volcanic ocean?
In my world there is an ocean that separates the two main continents. The problem is that I think it's impossible to navigate these waters as there are active volcanoes on the bottom of the ocean that ...
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How could a 'reverse-stile' work? [closed]
How could a reverse stile, which is a gate that can be passed by hooved quadrupeds but not by humans, be built? The humans are modern humans, and will have the same equipment (limited to what they can ...
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If I build a railroad around the edge of a supercontinent, will that kill the oceangoing shipping industry?
Suppose, for a moment, that there is a human inhabited supercontinent. The planet that this supercontinent is on does not have any large landmasses which are more than 10 KM from the primary continent ...
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What would be an effective land based mode of transportation for mermaids?
(this is probably going to be my last mermaid based question for while)
unlike their giant counterparts, most mermaids are more humanoid sized and have a life style similar to seals. now some of these ...
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How do I make leather tires for a bicycle?
In my world, bicycles are metal frames with leather tires. How would I make a leather tire? I am planning to use buffalo leather and waterproof it a lot. I would give it traction with some sort of ...
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What will the roads of the future be made of? [closed]
Assuming humanity continues to build road-like structures for transport of people, freight, etc., are there likely materials candidates to replace the asphalt roads of today over the next several ...
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How to cross a gorge with deep valley plagued by corrosive effluvium in medieval times?
There is a beautiful deep canyon called "Gorge Yor Ei Ou" by the local, it has a deep cleft filled with deadly and corrosive effluvium that doesn't seems to go away. The shortest distance ...
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Adventurers Transporting Mermaids
Okay, so in this world we have adventurers, the kind found in DnD and various other RPG and/or fantasy worlds. In this one, adventurers take mermaids along with them on their journies for multiple ...
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